Apparatus for straightening filled cans



Oct. 14, 1941. PEARLMAN ETAL 2,258,800

APPARATUS FOR STRAIGHTENING FILLED CANS Filed June 15, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 14, 1941. J. PEARLMAN ETAL 2,258,800

APPARATUS FOR STRAIGHTENING FILLED CANS Filed Jim 15, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ja MA Show;

fiatented Get. 14, 194i OFF-ICE ABPARATUS FOR STRAIGHTENING FILLED CANS Jack Pearlman,-East Hempstead', Long-Islandmndr Hjalmar Kittilsen, Springfield Gardens, N;

Application June 15, 1939, Serial No.-279,362-- 10 Claims.

Generically this invention relates to straightening devices for cylindrical objectsibut it moreespecially; isdirected to an apparatus for removing-dents and straightening filled, cans.

Filled cans by reason: of variouskinds of accidents during course of vhandling, frequently fining; the ,ends and upper halfof the can, com plemental means for. receivingflthe non-cone fined-portion of ,l the ,,can, and.v means for l elevat-ing-an d; releasing said first mentioned means,

to;subiect the ;non,-Lconfinedy portion of the can to a sharp impact with .the receiving. means.

Another important object of this inventionsisi the provision of a method and apparatus of this character consisting of a stationary die base a adapted to seat halfof a filled can, a vertically movable, complementallyv formed impacting die adaptedtoseatthe other half of .said can can end engaging adjustable die plates, means carried by the impacting die; for efiecting and maintaining ;the die plates in gripping engagement with the endsof a can, andmeans for elevating and.

permitting gravity descentgof said impacting die and can to efiectra sudden impact'of the. lower half. of the canwithythe base die,.whereby the forces generated by the impact function to remove irregularities vfrom all surfaces of theccana In cans filled with foodstuffs .of various types, by;-. reason,. of unforeseen contamination during, thecanfilling operation or in connection. with the food itself, not infrequently causes bacterial action; -to develop, rendering theflcontents unfit for-consumption, and such action causing swells or-bulging; of the can, usually at its ends; This situation gives rise; to a rigid inspection and in the p astit has been diflicult to determine Whether such irregularities in the contour of the canare.

caused bynbacterial action or by jolts, knocks, dents and the'glike, and by'reason of which fact many good cans are discarded as condemned and unsalable stock in error, and, therefore, an im-V portant object of this invention is its utilization as a testing meansnot only for straighteningout the'irregularities but in-so doing constituting a testing; meansv for determining whether the irregularitieswere, caused hyexternal forces or by.

55 y gular base-member l,

te i n on .of the: contents.

With these andotherfobje.cts inview; which" Will: become: apparent "as the: descriptiom proceeds, the invention resides inthe construction-,-

ccmbination sand -arrangement of parts; herein after more fully. describedandclaimed;-and=illustrated in .th'e;'=accompanying:-drawings; in which like: characters of reference indicatelike partsthroughout the: several figures; of which-:

Fig. 1 is an end: elevation: of our improved can straightening mechanism:-v

Fig. 2 is a front view'of-Fig -L Fig.-- 3 is a sectionalview' taken on 'th'e line" 33 of Fig.

Fig:: 4 is a frontview of a -slightly modified' form;

Fig. '5 is an end viewot- Fignaa Fig. 6 is a plan View partly inisection of Fig. .4

Fig. is a perspectiveview: of sectional adaptor or removable "shell- The ldevices-with which wearefamiliar-:forre- 4 moving the irregularities: from filled cans have proven-deficient' for many reasonsysome of which: are: incapable of satisfactory: operation; too com plex' and 'costlyto manufacture and operate';

afiecting .the normal condi-tior-r "of-*the' contents;

plemental vertically: movable- "drop block "mem ber; each. of said segmental members adapted to embrace one-halfofa fillecl'can; said "block member having'adjustab-le end plates or diesand means for moving.- t-he'dies'into'engagement 'with' the z-endsof the can-rand: automatically locking them in can-engaging position andmaintaining the can;in:seating-positionwithin said block, a magnet mounted-in the baSe block, a series of reduction-shells adapted:- to be mounted in the hollowedout-portions. of 'said blocks to I inter changeably fit different sized I cans, said movable block being mounted on guides rigi'dly carried by the base block-,means associated with said guides t and movable-block to effect elevation'of the block and can and releasable to permit gravity descent of said. blockand can unittocause a sudden or In: the illustrated i embodiment characterizing" thiszinvention thereis shown a device A compris'-' hollowed out as at 2 to snugly embrace one half of a filled can and is recessed underlying said cut-out portion as at 3, and suitably mounted in said recess is a magnet l hollowed out similar to portion 2 in member I, and adapted to be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy not shown. The rear side of member I is formed spaced from each end with threaded openings 5 adapted to receive the threaded stud bolts 6 extending through the spaced parallel perpendicular guide bars I. A complemental drop slide block 8 having semi-circular hollowed out portion 9 corresponding to the hollowed out portion 2, to seatingly receive one-half of the filled can, is adapted when not in use to seat on base I. A sleeve guide member I0 is slidably mounted on each of the guides l and welded or otherwise suitably secured to the rear side of block 8. Block 8 is formed on its upper siu'face with a centrally disposed upstanding integral post H, formed with a threaded opening i2 adapted to receive the threaded end of the pivot or bearing pin I3 extending through the upright lever id at a point spaced from its lower end.

Associated with block 8 is an arm l5, in the present instance, having a horizontal section 16 and a depending section H, with the free end of said section It pivotally mounted on stud bolt l8 threadedly or otherwise engaged in lever I as at 19, and a substantially similar arm 29 having a horizontal section 2!, similar to 56 except extending in the opposite direction, and a depending section 22, with the free end of section 2| pivotally mounted on bolt 23 threadedly or otherwise engaged in the lower end of lever M as at 24 on the opposite side of bolt 13 from bolt [8. Suitably mounted on the free ends of arms 15 and are the end die or can end engaging members 25. Mounted on the upper surface of block 8 are the guide members 26, through which arm I 6 is adapted to operatively extend, and substantially similar guides 21 are similarly mounted on block 18 opposite to guides 26 and through which arm 2! is adapted to operatively extend.

The contacting faces of dies or plates may be i formed to correspond with the end configuration of standard cans and these dies are adapted to be interchangeable in accordance with different sized cans. A removable sectional shell 28 is adapted to fit in block I and base 2. section 29 I of which is adapted to seat and be suitably mounted in the hollowed portion 9 and section 30 adapted to seat in the hollowed out portion 2 of base I. It is apparent that shells 28 of different sizes may be interchangeable to engage cans of dilierent sizes, and/or a series of nested sections 29 and 39 may be employed as reduction elements for difierent sized cans if desired.

When the dies 25 are in can engaging position the lever I4 is substantially perpendicular, and in order to maintain the lever in such position, an opening 3| is formed in member H and mounted in said opening is a spring 32 and ball 33 adapted to seat in the indentation 34 formed in the rear surface of lever id for automatically maintaining said lever in locked position, but permitting release when manually operated.

An eye-screw 35 is threadedly or otherwise suitably secured in the upper end of post H to which is secured one end of cable 35, said cable extending upwardly and over pulley 31 rotatably journaled on shaft 38 suitably mounted in the upper ends of guides l, and extending downwardly under pulley 39 suitably anchored below device A, and with its end secured as at 48 to one end of treadle H rockingly mounted on shaft 42 suitably mounted in the upper end of base support 43, as will be well understood. It will be noted that when the dies are in closed position with the can therebetween there will be a slight space between the meeting faces of the dies.

while the operation of the device would seem to be clear from the above description, it might be well to further state that depression of treadle 4| through cable 36 effects separation of the dies and elevation of die 8 to permit the filled can to be positioned in hollowed out portion 9 whereupon movement of handle or lower M from its die opening position as shown in dotted outline as at a to substantially perpendicular position moves dies 25 in meeting direction and into pressing engagement with the ends of the can and when the force is removed from said lever It spring 32 will urge ball 33 into indent 34 thereby maintaining the lever in can gripping position and the can in die seating position. Treadle 4| is then depressed to elevate die 8 together with the can to the desired height on guides l, and release of said treadle permits die 8 and the can to drop, causing the lower half of the can to engage the base die I with a sudden or sharp impact thereby causing opposed forces of the dies and can contents to straighten or remove irregularities from the surface contour of the can B.

While the drop block or impacting die section 8 is preferably operated by the treadle mechanism as above described, it also may be manually operated by handle 44 suitably mounted thereon.

The magnet 4 in connection with certain types of contents and where the can is slack filled is of special advantage in case of fine dents or very slight irregularities. It will be further observed that if the can is flattened and wider in one direction the widest diameter should be placed so as to come within the hollowed-out portions 9 and 2.

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are directed to a modified form, which is substantially similar to the form previously described, the principal differences being that the arms l5 and 20 have been modified to increase their adjustable range with re-.

spect to different length cans.

In this form arm sections I1 and 20, each: preferably comprising two metal strips, are piv-. otally mounted substantially central of their length as at 45 on the ends of rods 43 suitablysecured in the ends of block 8 and extending laterally therefrom. Sections I5 and 2| aresevered central of their length and connected by turn buckles 47 by means of which they are ad justed, as will hereinafter be more fully explained. Sections I1 and 20 are pivotally connected at their upper ends to sections I 6 and 20 by pins 48 and 49, respectively, and at theirlower ends by pins 50 and El, respectively, to lugs 52, integrally or otherwis formed on the end dies or plates 25'. It will be seen that operation of sections i1 and 20 effects adjustment of dies 25', and in order to permit their freedom of movement and adjustment to cans of different, lengths they are formed with spaced cars 53 apertured to receive the pins 54 threadedly or otherwise connected to the ends of block 8 and on which guide pins said dies 25 are slidably maintained in proper position.

A metal strip 55 suitably bent to form handle 44 is mounted transversely on the upper surface of block 8 with its perpendicular end portions 56 suitably secured thereto. This handle frame member also takes the place of post H.

Handle M is'pivotally mountedon pin 51; journaledin front end portion t. and having. rigidly mounted on its opposite end disc 58 to one side of which is pivotallysecured section It by pin 59 and section 21" is similarly connected to. the opposite side of said disc by pin 60. Suitably mounted on lever I4, is the spring plunger mechanism 61- adapted When the lever is moved to operating position to effect engagement of the dies 25 with the ends of can B to engage in opening 52 formed in end 56 and lock the lever in such position, the plunger being manually operable against the action of the spring to permit move ment of said lever to end die disengaging position, as shown in dotted outline at a, in which position plunger mechanism 6| engages a similar opening 62 to maintain the dies 25' in open position. Eye screw 35. is bolted or otherwise secured to handle 34 and to which is secured one end of cable 36' similar to cable 36- heretofore described and by means of which impacting die may be similarly operated.

It will be thus seen that the handle structure d4 not only serves as means for manually operating the die 8 but also takes the place of post II toconstitute a mounting for lever I4 and it is also apparent that the action of lever M with respect to end dies 25 is similar to that described in connection with lever I4 and dies 25, except that the connecting arm structure through the instrumentality of turn buckles 41 effects adjustment of end dies 25' to cans of different lengths. It is therefore apparent that except as modified to effect adjustability of dies 25' the form illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 is similar to the form described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2.

From the above it is apparent that We have designed a can straightening method and apparatus compact in form, simple in construction, manufacturable at a reasonable cost, adjustable to filled cans of varying diameters and lengths and efficient not only to remove irregularities from the contour of the can but also as a testing device to determine whether the irregularities, especially with reference to the ends of the can, are caused from the application of exterior force such as dropping the can, denting it, etc., or from the deterioration of the contents so that only the cans-damaged from the latter cause may be discarded.

With reference to the use of the preceding apparatus for determining whether the irregularities are due to the effect of the handling of the can or to deterioration of its contents, if from the former the removal of the irregularities will be permanent, but if from deterioration of the contents they will instantly return.

Although in practice we have found that the form of our invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and referred to in the above description as the preferred embodiment, is the most efficient and practical; yet realizing the conditions concurrent with the adoption of our invention will necessarily vary, we desire to emphasize that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from or sacrificing any of the principles of this invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we desire protected by Letters Patent is as set forth in the following claims, in which we claim:

1. An apparatus for removing surface irregularities from filled cans comprising a recessed die for receiving. the upper half of the circumference of afilled can, means engaging the. ends of the can and maintaining the latter. in said recess, said means including end plates, means for re.-.-

ceiving the lower half of the circumference. of the.

can, and means for elevatingand dropping said first mentioned die to impact the lower half: of the circumferenceofsaid can with said receiving die.

2-. Anapparatus for removing surface irregularities from filled cans comprisinga recessed die for receiving the upper half of the circumference of a filled can, means engaging the ends of the can and maintaining the latter-in said recess, said means including adjustable end plates, means for receiving the lower half of the circumference of the can, and means for elevating and dropping said first mentioned die to impact the lower half of the circumference of said can with said receiving die.

3. An apparatus for removing surface irregularities from filled cans, comprising a recessed die for receiving the upper half of the circumference of a filled can, means engaging the ends of the can and maintaining the latter in said recess, said means including end plates, a die for receiving the lower half of the circumference of the can, and means for elevating and dropping said first mentioned die to impact the lower half of the circumference of said can with said receiving die, said means including a manually operated means.

4. An, apparatus for removing surface irregularities from filled cans, comprising a recessed die for receiving the upper half of the circumference of a filled can, means engaging the ends of the can and maintaining the latter in said recess, said means including end plates, a die for receiving the lower half of the circumference of the can, and means for elevating and dropping said first mentioned die to impact the lower half of the circumference of said can with said receiving die, said means including a tread operated mecha- 1115111.

5. An apparatus for removing surface irregularities from filled cans comprising a die including upper and lower complemental sections adapted to embrace the cylindrical portion of a can, means for engaging the ends of said can and for securing the latter in the upper section of said die, said means including a pair of adjustable end plates simultaneously operable to engage and disengage the ends of said can, means for elevating and dropping the upper section of the die with the can onto said lower section, whereby to generate forces adapted to remove surface irregularities from the can.

6. An apparatus for removing surface irregularities from filled cans comprising a movable die for embracing the upper half of a filled can, end dies adapted to confine the ends of the can, oppositely extending arms connected at one end to said end dies, an arm operating mechanism carried by the movable die and connected to the other ends of said arms operable in one direction to effect clamping engagement with the ends of the can and maintain the can in die confining position and in the opposite direction to release said can, a base die for receiving the non-confined lower half of the can, and means for elevating and releasing said movable die and can, whereby to subject the non-confined portion of the can to sudden impact with the base die.

7. An apparatus for removing surface irregularities from filled cans comprising a base die adapted to confine one half of a filled can, a complemental upper die adapted to embrace the other half of the can, end dies adapted to engage and confine the ends of the can, arm control means carried by said upper die, oppositely extending arm means connecting said control means and the respective end dies, whereby movement of said control means in one direction effects clamp,- ing engagement of the end dies with the ends of the can when the latter is in the upper die confining position, means for automatically locking said dies in clamping position, means for elevating said upper die, said means releasable to permit said die to drop whereby to subject the non-confined portion of the can to sudden impact with the base die.

8. An apparatus for removing surface irregularities from filled cans comprising a base die adapted to confine one half of a filled can, a complemental upper die adapted to embrace the other half of the can, end dies adapted to engage and confine the ends of the can, arm control means carried by said upper die, oppositely extending arm means connecting said control means and the respective end dies, whereby movement of said control means in one direction effects clamping engagement of the end dies with the ends of the can when the latter is in the upper die confining position, means in connection with said arms for varying the adjustable range of said end dies in accordance with cans of different lengths, means for elevating said upper die, said aesesoe means releasable to permit said die to drop where by to subject the non-confined portion of the can to sudden impact with the base die.

9. An apparatus for removing surface irregularities from filled cans comprising a die including upper and lower die sections, each section including means for seating half of a filled can, means for varying the area of the seating means of the respective sections to accommodate different sized cans, means coacting with the upper section for engaging the ends of the can and maintaining it seated in said die, means for elevating the upper section, said means releasable to permit dropping of said die and can whereby to subject the exposed half of said can to sudden impact with the seating means of the lower die section.

10. A filled can straightening device comprising a hollowed-out base die and complementally hollowed-out movable die, each adapted to embrace one half of a filled can, means associated with the movable die for pressingly engaging the ends of the can and maintaining it seated in said die, and means for elevating the movable die and can, said means releasable to precipitate the exposed half of the can into impact with the base die to effect, by the forecs set up by the impact, the removal of irregularities from the contour of the can.

JACK PEARLMAN. HJALMAR KIT'IILSEN. 

